Carmen Lundy: Good Morning Kiss (2002)

No stars
How we rate: our writers tend to review music they like within their preferred genres.

Carmen Lundy’s expressive vocal interpretations have always raised welcoming arms from mainstream listeners. Her natural talent speaks for itself. A clear voice with a strong heart serve as centerpiece for this reissue. Three alternate takes have been added to the original. “Dindi” is presented as an alternate without the contributions of Steve Turre. “Perfect Stranger” and “Good Morning Kiss” show up as alternates with very little change from those previously released. Good Morning Kiss, an excellent mainstream album, was Lundy’s debut recording. It was released in 1985 on the Blackhawk label but went out-of-print for years. Aside from Lundy’s genuine vocal interpretations, the CD includes stellar performances from several of New York’s finest. Trombonist Turre fills and solos alongside the vocalist on “Dindi” with forceful persuasion. Lundy’s brother, Curtis, supplies the upright bass lines on most tracks. His support is especially strong and poignant on the title track. A personal favorite, “Love For Sale,” finds the bassist walking casually with piano trio in a special arrangement loaded with dramatic twists and turns. An ounce of the blues colors every song from Lundy’s Good Morning Kiss. Audio samples are available at www.carmenlundy.com .